This work reports the use of the Octave, a free computational software, to optimize the experimental design in the synthesis of ethyl oleate from oleic acid and ethanol catalyzed by a native lipase from Aspergillus niger. The central composite factorial design (CCD) was performed with 2 levels and 3 variables (temperature, mass of native A. niger lipase and oleic acid:ethanol molar ratio) in conjunction with response surface methodology (RSM). The results indicate that variable 1 (oleic acid:ethanol molar ratio; X1) and 2 (mass of A. niger lipase, X2), as well as the interaction between them, are statistically significant. The optimal reaction condition was estimated using ANOVA data and the response surface. The experimental results are consistent with those estimated, and thus, ethyl oleate was obtained with conversion (> 90%) using oleic acid and ethanol in a 1:2 molar ratio, A. niger lipase (8,00 mg) and temperature of 45 °C in 6 hours of reaction.

The immobilization of Burkholderia cepacia lipase (BCL) on pristine or functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was studied in the resolution of (RS)-1-phenylethanol. For the functionalization, three treatments were used, these being in H2SO4/HNO3 (acid, MWCNTs-A), KOH (basic, MWCNTs-B) or in H2O2 (oxidizing agent, MWCNTs-O). It was found that the pristine or functionalized BCL/MWCNTs resulted in a 3-fold improvement in the conversion and in a 5-fold improvement in ees (enantiomeric excess of the substrate), when compared with free BCL under the same reaction conditions. This pristine or functionalized BCL/MWCNTs system could be reused for up to 8 times without significant decrease in the catalytic efficiency. Under the optimum conditions (pH of immobilization 6.0, 45 ºC and 25 mg/5 mg pristine or functionalized BCL/MWCNTs), the best results were obtained using BCL immobilized on MWCNTs-A. The simple process of physical adsorption of BCL onto MWCNTs-A has improved the catalytic efficiency when compared with free BCL and an increase in the stability was confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).

As lipases CAL-B, LPS, LPS-C, LPS-D e a de A. níger, livres ou imobilizadas em filmes de amido de cará (Discorea alata L.), inhame (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott) ou de gelatina, foram utilizadas na acilação da (RS)-sec-butilamina com diferentes doadores acila em vários solventes orgânicos sob aquecimento convencional (CH) ou irradiação por microondas (MW). Ao utilizar a lipase de A. niger livre, a conversão foi três vezes maior sob irradiação por MW em relação ao CH a 35 ºC. Usando a lipase de A. niger livre, a (R)-amida foi obtida com 21% de conversão, resultando em valores de ee p > 99% e de E (enantiosseletividade) > 200, em 1 min de reação em MW. Ao utilizar a lipase de A. niger imobilizada em filmes de amido de cará e inhame, em 3 ou 5 min de reação em MW, a amida foi obtida com conversões moderadas, sendo de 8 a 25%, porém com maior seletividade (ee p > 99% e E > 200) em comparação à forma livre (45% de conversão, ee p 81% e 18 para o valor de E).

The lipases CAL-B, PSL, PSL-C, PSL-D, and A. niger lipase, free or immobilized in starch (obtained from two types of yam, known in Brazil as “cará” (Discorea alata L.) and “inhame” (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott) or gelatin films, were used in the acylation of (RS)-sec-butylamine with different acyl donors in various organic solvents applying conventional heating (CH) or microwave (MW) irradiation. In the case of free A. niger lipase, the conversion degrees were three times higher using MW irradiation when compared to conventional heating at 35 ºC. Using free A. niger lipase, the (R)-amide was obtained with a conversion degree of 21%, resulting in ee p > 99% and E-value (enantioselectivity value) > 200, in 1 min of reaction under MW irradiation. When the A. niger lipase was immobilized in yam starch films, the (R)-amide was obtained in moderate conversions of 8-25% after 3 or 5 min of reaction under MW irradiation, but with higher selectivity (ee p > 99% and E > 200) in comparison with the free form (conversion degree of 45%, ee p 81% and E value of 18).

O desempenho de duas lipases nativas (lipase de Aspergillus niger e Rhizopus oligosporus), e a influência da temperatura, doador acila (acetato de etila, acetato de vinila, acetato de iso-propenila e anidrido acético) e do meio orgânico foi avaliado na resolução da (RS)-feniletilamina (1). O efeito de anions em uma série de líquidos iônicos (LIs) baseados em derivados do imidazol [BMIm][X], onde X = BF4, PF6, SCN e Cl em n-heptano e acetato de vinila, também foi verificado com a lipase nativa de A. niger. Com esta lipase, a amida R-2b foi obtida com conversões de 6 até > 99% e valores de E de 2 até > 200, em n-heptano ou n-hexano. Os maiores valores de E obtidos, usando sistema bifásico formado por n-heptano e [BMIm][ PF6] ou [BMIm][ BF4] 9:1 (v/v), foram de 9 e 7, respectivamente, quando comparado com o solvente puro (E = 2). A influência dos ânions segue a seguinte ordem: PF6- >BF4- > SCN- > Cl-.

The performance of two native lipases (lipase from Aspergillus niger and Rhizoupus oligosporus) in the resolution of (RS)-phenylethylamine (1), varying the temperature, acyl donor type (ethyl acetate, vinyl acetate, iso-propenyl acetate and acetic anhydride) and organic medium, was studied. The effect of the nature of the anion using native A. niger lipase in n-heptane with a series of imidazolium-based ILs [BMIm][X], where X = BF4, PF6, SCN and Cl, was also evaluated. Using the lipase from A. niger, the R-2b amide was obtained with conversions from 6 to > 99% and E-values from 2 to > 200, with n-heptane or n-hexane. This lipase showed better E-values in a two-phase system using n-heptane and [BMIm][PF6] or [BMIm][BF4] 9:1 (v/v), obtaining values of 9 and 7, respectively, when vinyl acetate was used as the acyl donor, compared to the use of pure n-heptane (E = 2). The series for the anions in terms of decreasing performance was as follows: PF6- >BF4- > SCN- > Cl-.